What they’re really thinking: The student ambassador

Ever wonder what someone else was thinking? We’re giving you the chance to find out, with insights into the weird and wonderful minds around Swansea University campus. This month, it’s the student ambassador.

Taking on the role of student ambassador for Swansea University has been a real eye-opener in terms of the whole experience a degree and moving away from home provides. Faced with these wide-eyed A Level students and their encouraging parents, you realise how little they actually know about the path they are about to embark on. As a sixth form student, my main concern with my choice of university was the access and setting of the campus and just getting away from home. I had no idea how much I would learn and develop my own personal character over those three years. Swansea offered me a beautiful campus and the stone-throw-away distance to the beach was very impressive! It wasn’t until I arrived that I learnt how many other experiences were available to me, ranging from human rights societies, wall-climbing on campus, surfing lessons, and the esteemed study abroad programs.

Donning the blue ambassador t shirts brings with it a sense of authority and responsibility to these students who are about to make a crucial decision in their lives. Students and parents alike seem to be very comfortable with the campus as they can see how accessible the different departments are, and the central location of the library; somewhere the parents hope their children will be familiar with by the end of their degree. My personal experiences of actually getting some students lost, as I could not find the mysterious short cut between Keir Hardie and James Callaghan, was simply laughed off by one of the lecturers as a means of showing the students how vast our department was.

The taster lectures that have been recently introduced seem to have the largest impact on the students. By separating the students from their parents they are placed into a very real simulation of how their lectures will be when they arrive at Swansea University. It gives them the chance to speak up and judge the kind of learning atmosphere they will be provided with. The students also tend to have the opportunity to have a small group meeting with one of the department lecturers to mention any queries or concerns they have, and to encourage positive relationships between students and lecturers.

The employability talk doesn’t always thrill the students but the admissions department are encouraging new students to base their university choice on employability options and its value in term of their future career. Swansea University offers a wide range of activities that all contribute to enhancing students own skills, which are transferable to the work place. These opportunities can now be recorded in transcript form besides degree results so that future employers can see the academic and employability potential of an undergraduate. Programs such as volunteering with Discovery; taking part in the literacy scheme with local primary schools; research employment options; and even working as a student ambassador promoting the university to future students. All of these, and many more, enhance and amplify the student’s potential as a future employee and this is something that seems more potent in today’s society than just academic success. Swansea University offers these schemes in order to elevate its students, to ensure their success in future employment.

If there is one thing I would like to actually imprint onto these students’ minds, it’s the benefits of Swansea University, and not just in terms of their degree course and location by the beach. There are a range of opportunities that are accessible to all students, such as the employability schemes, participation in a massive range of societies, and a diverse sociocultural society. You don’t leave with just an academic qualification; you leave with life-long friendships, experiences, and employability potentials from a well-respected university. These kind of opportunities are why it is vital for prospective students to visit the university and utilise the opportunity to discuss with lecturers and students about what Swansea University really offers.

Want to let us know what you’re thinking? All submissions will remain anonymous, so send us an email to thesirenswansea@hotmail.co.uk.